Redefine builds black female representation to 30% at board level

Redefine Properties says it has achieved its five-year plan to have black female representation of 30% at board level much faster than expected.

The group’s plan was first introduced in 2015 and has been achieved through the appointment of management consultant Bridgitte Mathews, as an independent nonexecutive director and chairwoman of its remuneration committee.

A chartered accountant, Mathews is the founder of Ca Vie Investments, a specialist business process management consulting group.

She has been a member of African Women Chartered Accountants since 2007 and the Institute of Directors since 2011.

“ESG [environmental, social and corporate governance] is very important to Redefine Properties. We want to transform Redefine from the top down and are starting with our board. It has been dominated by pale males and we have taken steps to create a more diverse board,” said Redefine’s CEO Andrew Konig.

The board approved a gender diversity policy in 2015 in which the company adopted a voluntary target for female representation at board level of 25%.

The aim was to achieve this over five years, but with Mathews’s and two other appointments, the company has achieved black female representation of 30% at board level.

Phumzile Langeni and Nomalizo Langa-Royds, both existing independent nonexecutive directors, were appointed chairwoman of the audit and risk committee and chairwoman of the social and ethics committee, respectively. Mathews is deputy chairwoman of the board and a nonexecutive director and member of the audit committee at ATKV, a non-executive director at Suidwes Landbou Group and a non-executive director at PSG Group and PSG Financial Services.

She is also chairwoman of the board of trustees at Redefine Empowerment Trust and a nonexecutive director at OneLogix Group.

“I believe Redefine is an exciting company to join.

“It is rare to find a real estate investment trust of this size and quality. I want to maintain a strong approval level on Redefine’s remuneration policy,” Mathews said.